Cloudy Skies Series
by Sita Masters
Summary: See Intro Chapter
1. Intro

This series takes place after Angel season four. Seeing as how I've only seen it up through "Salvage" I'm making up an ending. Here it goes (summary version.)  
  
Cordelia was possessed by the Master of the Beast and gave it its orders. Angelus ran into a vampire he knew back in the day who was also cursed with a soul. But she was cursed by different people giving the curse a different curve. She could experience happiness without a problem. Angelus battled his old friend, Selena, and was knocked out. Selena helped to bring his soul back and began to befriend the gang.   
  
Faith escaped from prison when she heard about the Beast and helped Angel and Selena defeat it. But the Beast's Master was still bringing terror through more demons. Selena suspected that the Master was close to the group and pinned it as being the shy, distant Fred. Selena confronted Fred about it and after a heated argument, ended up killing Fred. Wesley saw this and tried to stake Selena but Angel stopped him and told him Selena's theory. Lorne informed Selena that she was wrong that he just caught Cordy humming and saw that she had killed Lilah and confessed to letting out Angelus.   
  
With help from Willow, the gang was able to pull the Master from Cordelia and give it physical form. With the combined efforts of everyone, they were finally able to destroy it, bringing some peace back to LA.  
  
Grief stricken over killing Fred, Selena tried to apologize to Wesley. But having the woman he loved killed was not something he was going to forgive easily. Faith went to Sunnydale with Willow to help them there. Things seemed to be getting slightly back to normal.  
  
Selena told Angel that it wasn't right for her to stay. She was heading to Seattle to do what she could there. The following conversation ensued:  
  
Angel: "Seattle, huh? I suppose with all the cloudy skies there's a bit more vampire activity."  
  
Selena: "Yeah. And California already has two slayers and you. You've inspired me, Angel. Helping the hopeless, fighting the good fight sounds like the plan."  
  
Angel: "It has its perks."  
  
Selena: "Maybe I'll follow in your footsteps, open up a hotel."  
  
Angel: "Actually I'm an investigator."  
  
Selena: "Oh." *pause* "Well, I still might open up a hotel. House the hopeless?"  
  
Angel: *chuckles* "That works, too. Think you'd have room for me to visit?"  
  
Selena: "Always."  
  
Angel: "And you promise to keep in touch? Don't try and handle everything by yourself."  
  
Selena: "Promise."  
  
Angel: "Are you sure about this?"  
  
Selena: "I'm never sure about anything. Except that I can't stay here. Not after all that's happened."  
  
Angel: "I understand."  
  
In the distance, around a corner, Wesley heard this conversation. Fuming with anger over Fred's death, he secretly packs and leaves this note, leaving LA forever.  
  
Angel,  
  
I think somewhere in the back of your mind you knew I would leave. By the time you find this note, I will be well on my way to Seattle. Please don't call Selena. I'm not going to kill her. In fact, I want her to live so that she can remember the life she took. Fred will live on in my memory and in all those she touched. Selena must never forget that.  
  
Tell Cordelia, Lorne, and Gunn that I wish them well.   
  
Goodbye,  
  
Wesley Wyndham-Pryce 


	2. Neighborhood

Summary: Selena arrives in Seattle to start new…with a visitor from the past.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Selena thanked the realtor as she walked into the empty hotel. At some point in time, this hotel had been thriving with life. But now, just on the outskirts of Seattle, this hotel lay dormant. It stood only five stories but housed ten rooms per floor. Selena brushed some long dark hair from her blue eyes and scanned the stability of the structure. It almost looked as if the cobwebs were holding the walls up.   
  
"I know, it's a little on the dusty side," the realtor sighed. "But I assure you, it's in great condition. There are even bed linens and towels left!" She smiled. "What do you think?"  
  
Selena let her soft footsteps trail behind the main counter where she picked up an old notepad and blew off the dust. "The Denuo Hotel," she read aloud.  
  
"I think it's French."  
  
"It's Latin." Selena smiled. "It means 'second time.' How ironic." She set the notepad down. "I'll take it."  
  
*~*~*  
  
Selena was thankful she didn't need to breathe. She would have inhaled five tons of dust. She spent thirty-two hours straight on dusting and cleaning up the hotel. She wanted it presentable. She wanted all the beds made, the kitchen cleaned and freshly watered plants in the lobby.  
  
Sighing, she realized that she would need to hire some help. She printed out a help wanted sign and taped it to the glass door. She admired the large heavy drapes that covered the windows, blocking out the charcoaling sun outside. It was a little reminder that she wasn't human.  
  
The other little reminder was the thirst of a vampire. Selena had drunk pigs' blood when she was at Angel's but she still fed from humans. She just didn't kill them. She may have had a soul like Angel but she mourned and moved on. She figured that if she dwelled too much on the past, she wouldn't be able to help as much in the present.   
  
Selena wrapped her hair up into a twist and slipped into a seductive black dress. She longed for the day when she wouldn't have to put on this act. She didn't want someone around for the long hall. No one deserved the immortality that she was cursed with. She simply hunted and went home.  
  
The streets of Seattle weren't as crowded as LA. Most people piled into buildings away from the rain. But Selena drank it in through her skin, letting it rinse away the dirty feel from her skin. She didn't need make-up. She just barely highlighted her lips with red. Her victim was a young woman about twenty three or so. Selena led her into an alleyway and began to seduce the girl, kissing her softly. She let the kisses trail to the girl's neck were she bit firmly but gently, not wanting to hurt the girl more than she had to.  
  
"Let her go."  
  
Selena turned, her vampire eyes glowing at the crossbow aimed at her heart. Familiar steely eyes glared at her. "Wesley?" she let her demon face slide away and looked at the girl. "Run along now."  
  
The girl did just that, looking more afraid of Wesley and his crossbow rather than the vampire. He kept it leveled. "I had a feeling that you'd be killing again."  
  
"She wasn't going to die. I just needed a drink." She paused. "Does Angel know you're here?"  
  
"Did you even have a soul, Selena? Or was it all an act?" He stepped forward.   
  
She kept her eyes on his trigger finger. "I have a soul. That's the truth. I wasn't going to kill that girl."  
  
"Why? She wasn't helpless enough? Not like Fred?" He began to squeeze the trigger.  
  
But she moved quickly, knocking his arm up, the bolt flying into the air. She grabbed the bow and threw it up and over to a rooftop. "Don't do this, Wesley."  
  
He pulled a stake from his jacket. "You're not going to be dust, Selena. You're going to suffer." He was swift as he buried the stake into her shoulder. He kicked hard at her knee, grinning when he heard the crack and watched her fall to the ground.  
  
She removed the stake and swallowed back the pain. "Walk away now, Wesley. Or so help me, by the pestilent gods, I will not be responsible for what I do."  
  
He extended his hand. "I don't intend on walking. I intend on staying with you."  
  
She looked up at him in disbelief. "And let me top that with a 'huh?'"  
  
"Think of me as your conscience."  
  
"Like Jiminy Cricket?" She took his hand and was surprised when he helped her up.   
  
He winced at the reference. "Not quite as friendly."  
  
*~*~*  
  
Bobby hated reporting new information to Mr. Harrington because he was never sure how Mr. Harrington was going to take it. Bobby adjusted his tie of his white suit and glanced at his purple reflection in the mirror. Purple meant you were getting enough oxygen – if you were a human. Bobby was a Noilder demon and the purple pigment of his skin was simply the norm.   
  
Sighing heavily, he knocked three times on the large double doors of Harrington Enterprises top floor office. "Come in," the deep, gruff voice demanded.   
  
Bobby shuffled his webbed feet into the darkened office and swallowed. "Mr. Harrington, I have some news."  
  
Bobby could just make out Mr. Harrington's silhouette moving. "And what news have you brought me?"  
  
He cleared his throat. "Uh, it's a new vampire in town, sir."  
  
"Vampires move though Seattle all the time."  
  
"This one bought a hotel and seems to have attracted a demon hunter into the area. Looks like she's planning on staying." Bobby shuddered in the silence around him. It took Mr. Harrington almost three minutes to respond. But Bobby was no fool and didn't press.  
  
"Well then, I think we should welcome her to the neighborhood. Find out everything you can about her and the demon hunter then report to me. Until then, do nothing else."  
  
"Yes, sir." Bobby left the office feeling relieved. Mr. Harrington had taken the news well. Shifting his tie again, Bobby stared into the mirror until his image shifted into human form. He added a white hat to top it off and flashed a smile as he headed out the door. He needed to buy a fruit basket.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Wesley was impressed with the hotel Selena had acquired. He helped her sit on the couch and brought her a first aid kit to patch the wound in her shoulder. She slipped out of her dress, clad in her undergarments, and sighed. "You ruined a perfectly good dress."  
  
He discreetly turned his eyes away from her. "Do you have something else you can wear?"  
  
She paused. "I never figured you for the squeamish type, Wes." She smiled to herself. "The master bedroom down the hall is mine. There should be a robe there I can wear for now."  
  
He didn't speak a response, simply walked to the room and retrieved the robe. He didn't even raise his eyes as he held it out. "Here." Only when she put the robe on did he raise his eyes. "What room is mine?"  
  
She stopped in the middle of knotting the robe. "Pardon? You mean I'm housing you too?"  
  
"Didn't you tell Angel you'd house the hopeless? Well, I have no hope left."  
  
"Humph. So that's how you knew I was in Seattle. You overheard us." She went to the phone. "And if I call Angel? What will he say?"  
  
Wesley rushed over and clamped his hand over hers on the phone. "Don't."   
  
She kept her hand still beneath his. He was on the edge and she didn't want to startle him and end up with a stake in her chest. "Wesley, I'm sorry, I truly am. What I did, I did thinking that she was the Master."  
  
"Winifred. You can say her name. She was a person. With a heart and feelings."  
  
Selena swallowed. "Winifred," she whispered.  
  
He released her hand. "It's late and I would like to rest." He looked as worn as he sounded. "What room?"  
  
She handed him a key. "The linens are fresh. I'll shop for groceries tomorrow."  
  
It looked like he was going to thank her but instead he just gave a nod and went to bed.  
  
*~*~*  
  
The sun was peaking out of the clouds, but the lobby of the Denuo was darkened by the heavy draped. Selena sat behind the counter reading the morning paper dressed in slacks and a sleeveless blouse. The clock read a quarter past ten but she hadn't heard any sound but snores coming from Wesley's room.  
  
The tinkle of a door chime caught her attention, shifting her glance to the door where a shy blonde girl stood, gazing around the lobby.  
  
"May I help you?" Selena smiled.  
  
The girl removed the sign from the door. "I was wondering what type of help you were looking for."  
  
She sat her paper aside and stepped out from behind the counter, staying back from the slightly opened door that was revealing sunlight. "Come in!" she beamed. "I'm looking mostly for someone who's willing to register guests and do some housekeeping."  
  
The girl nodded. "I'd like to apply then." She held out a resume.  
  
Selena read over it briefly. "Melissa. Well, you have quite varied resume. I think we'll do this on a trial basis. Sound good?"  
  
Melissa nodded, blinking her big green eyes. "That would be great, Miss…"  
  
She extended her hand. "Call me Selena."  
  
*~*~*  
  
Wesley arose somewhere around noon and was surprised to find a blonde behind the lobby desk. She spotted him and immediately turned a bright smile his way. "Good afternoon, Mr. Wyndham-Pryce."  
  
He did a double take. "I'm sorry, you are?"  
  
She pointed to a tag pinned to her chest that read "Melissa" written in black permanent marker. The "i" was dotted with a smiley face. "Miss Selena said to tell you that she would be back shortly."  
  
He nodded groggily. "Of course…"  
  
Melissa went to a small stand and poured a cup of coffee. "Looks like use could use a little pick me up." She handed it to him. "Black? Or cream and sugar?"  
  
His system wasn't quite processing this yet. He looked at her blankly as he mumbled. "Sugar only, please." What was this girl doing here? Did she work here? Did she know Selena was a vampire?   
  
Melissa dumped a few spoonfuls into Wesley's cup and stirred it. "I hope it's not too strong. I wasn't sure how you'd like it. I'd like to make a good impression with the office manager."  
  
He almost spit out his coffee, it was thick and much too strong. "The what?"  
  
Her smile faltered. "Selena said you were the office manager here."  
  
He nodded and took another sip. This girl had no clue about vampires. "Oh, of course. I just hadn't heard you correctly." He smiled and yawned.  
  
Melissa's smiled was plastered on in full force again. "Is there anything I could help you with?"  
  
"Melissa, I'd like to wake up a bit first. I had a long trip up here."  
  
"From England? Or is your accent from somewhere else?"  
  
Now he knew who she reminded him of. Harmony. "I drove from California."  
  
"Oh! They have that accent in California?"  
  
For a moment, Wesley wanted to drown in the thick sludge present in the mug.  
  
The clicking of heals saved him as Selena entered the lobby. "Wesley! Glad to see you've decided to join the living."  
  
He almost shot coffee out of his nose. Join the living.   
  
Selena handed keys to Melissa. "There are bags of groceries in my SUV. Would you be a doll and put them in the kitchen while I talk with Wes?" Melissa eagerly scampered away. "Underground garage," Selena explained. "The grocery store has one, too."  
  
He nodded with his stern appearance present now that the hired help was gone. "And the girl?"  
  
"I needed some help maintaining the hotel. She doesn't know about us and I'd like to keep it that way. It'll keep her safe." She sat beside him. "I bought you some food. I wasn't sure what you liked so I got a little bit of everything. I figured if you didn't like it, Melissa might."  
  
Wesley looked to her and saw the caring in her eyes. "Not enough."  
  
"No, there are a good ten bags. I think there's plenty."  
  
"No. I mean, you can't hide what you did like this. You're a killer."  
  
"Angelus was a killer. Even your precious Cordelia knocked off that lawyer." She stood, clenching her fists. "Fred was an accident. And if you can't accept that then get the hell out of my hotel." She pointed to the door.  
  
He smirked. "I think I'll get a bite to eat." He stood. "Which way to the kitchen?"   
  
*~*~*  
  
Selena lifted the punching bag and hooked it. Angel had given her some pointers for a training room before she left. He had even given her some old equipment. So far she had set up a rack of weapons, several mats, a vaulting horse and the punching bag. It was beginning to look good.  
  
"Selena?" Melissa's voice chimed in. "Oh wow…" She looked around the room, her eyes resting on the weapons. "Cool!"  
  
"Was there something you needed?"  
  
"Huh? Oh! There's someone here who wants to talk to you. And he brought fruit."  
  
Sheer curiosity about the fruit brought Selena out to see a man in a white suit with a white hat. He smiled and tilted his hat to her. "Selena I take it?" He held out a fruit basket. "I'm Bobby."  
  
She accepted the basket with a smile. "Hi Bobby, how can I help you?"  
  
"Rather, how can I help you? I'm sort of the welcoming committee. I represent Harrington Enterprises, a major benefactor here. We just want to make sure that your transition to Seattle is smooth."  
  
"Well, thank you. Things are going quite well. I don't think I'll have any need for help right now."   
  
Bobby's eyes wandered over her. "Would you be offended if I said that you are just amazingly beautiful?"  
  
She chuckled and looked down. It was easy to play the bashful girl. "I'm not offended."  
  
"Then let me take you to dinner."  
  
She looked back up at him. "Dinner?"  
  
"To help get to know you better. How about nine?" He flashed a friendly smile to her.   
  
"Nine." She sighed. "Sounds good. Would you like to pick me up here?"  
  
*~*~*  
  
As Bobby walked back out to his car, he shook his head in disbelief. Mr. Harrington was never going to believe this. "A soul," he chuckled.  
  
*~*~*  
  
"A soul?" Mr. Harrington echoed. "Well now, that's interesting." He creaked back in his chair, still hidden in shadow. "I'd heard of curses like this." His deep laugh made Bobby's skin crawl. "Take her to dinner. Find out what you can. Get close to her. Become a part of her life."  
  
"What if she finds out what I am?"  
  
"Let her. You can tell her that you were afraid she wouldn't like you if she knew you were a demon. Make her trust you." He sighed. "A controlled vampire like this can be a tool or a formidable enemy. And I don't need another freak shuffling in on my turf."  
  
*~*~*  
  
Wesley paused as he caught sight of Selena in the lobby. She was dressed in a deep red silk dress that billowed around her knees and had her hair swept up to show off a pair of diamond earrings. She was sifting through her purse, distracted.  
  
"Going out?" he inquired.  
  
She didn't even raise her eyes to him. "I was invited to dinner. It's a 'welcome to the neighborhood' thing."  
  
"Ah," he leaned on the counter by her. "I suppose it's been about two weeks since you killed Fred so go on out and have a good time."  
  
Selena didn't even hesitate to slap Wesley across the face. She slapped him so hard his nose began to bleed. She was taking unneeded breaths, like a human would when they were furious. "Wesley…" She stared at the blood for a moment before holding a hand to her face. "Oh God, I'm sorry…"  
  
He calmly plucked a tissue from a box on the counter and held it to his nose. "Going on instinct. Like a killer."  
  
Whatever apology was in her face disappeared. "Okay, I get it. Drop it. Because now I see that this isn't about Fred. This is about your own pity trip. You can't deal with it but guess what? It's happened. I can't take it back but I can be sorry. This is my final word. Take it and do what you like with it."  
  
Wesley narrowed his eyes. "I… I am not on a pity trip."  
  
Selena softened. "I know you loved her, Wesley. And she's going to live on in your heart." She gently placed her hand on his chest. "But you need to let her go."  
  
He sucked in a breath and shakily said: "Don't touch me." He moved from her and turned to hide the pain in his eyes. "I'll see you later tonight then."  
  
She nodded. "I shouldn't be out later than eleven. I thought we could patrol after that."  
  
"Of course. Have a nice time." He kept his eyes away from her as he went to his room. Once there he shut the door and propped his back against it, letting the tears fall.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Bobby was holding a red rose when Selena answered the door. "You look amazing," he gawked as he held out the rose.   
  
She smiled and accepted the rose. "Thank you. Shall we?"  
  
The restaurant Bobby chose was a seafood bar near the bay. He was the perfect gentleman, opening doors, offering a jacket and even helping to seat her. Bobby told her about the highlights of Seattle and some of the things she could see while she was there. Selena could tell she had his total attention. And that there was something he wasn't telling her.  
  
"What exactly does Harrington Enterprises do?" she asked as she poked at her desert.  
  
"Mostly investments. But it also provides support to local businesses. Like yours. Harrington Enterprises would like to provide financial backing for you. Anything you need is yours."  
  
"Now is that Harrington or you offering?" She smiled and blinked her lashes at him. Money wouldn't be a bad thing.  
  
"Unfortunately I don't have money to offer." He looked down and took another bite.  
  
She reached out and touched his hand. "Bobby, it's okay. I didn't mean to go there."  
  
He looked at her hand and sighed. "Here I am going on about Seattle and Harrington and you haven't had a chance to tell me anything about yourself."  
  
She folded her hands in her lap and chuckled. "Not much to tell. I did a lot of traveling and then decided to settle on owning a hotel. I figured that I could meet other travelers that way. It would be cheaper than all the flying."  
  
"True. What about family?"  
  
She sighed. "I'm the only one left. My parents died a long time ago and I was an only child. But…" She sipped her water. "I have Wesley."  
  
"Wesley?"  
  
"A friend of a friend who's decided to help with the hotel business."  
  
"Oh, so you're not… involved?"  
  
Selena couldn't help it; she let out a laugh that rang through the restaurant. "Me and Wes? Oh that's rich!" She quieted down, taking another sip of her water. "We're not even really friends."  
  
"Then why does he work there?"  
  
"He does a good job. Just because I don't like his personality doesn't mean that he shouldn't be able to work."  
  
The check arrived, postponing any more talk of Wesley. Bobby promptly slipped a credit card in and grinned. "Are you like Cinderella? Should I make sure you're at home on time?"  
  
"I think I can manage without a curfew."  
  
"Care to catch a late movie with me then?"  
  
*~*~*  
  
Wesley didn't like this. It was almost midnight and there was no sign of Selena. He checked the message machine one more time to see if maybe he had missed a call. But all he heard was "you have no new messages."  
  
When the clock read twelve thirty he grabbed his crossbow and headed out.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Selena pulled Bobby's jacket tight around her shoulders as they headed out of the theater. He had taken her to see the new Lord of the Rings movie. She had wondered if any of the creatures in the movie were based on real demons. She was pretty sure elves existed. He had put his arm around her shoulders during the movie and held her close. Selena had even thought she caught him smelling her hair.   
  
But her logical side told her that a relationship was out of the question. Even though Bobby was charming and cute, she was a vampire.   
  
Bobby turned her down an alley that would lead them to a park. But Selena stopped. "Uh, Bobby? I think I left my phone in the theater. Would you run back and check for me?"  
  
He looked at her curiously and began to turn back. "Sure." He didn't make it too far though. Three vampires leapt out from the dumpsters. But to her surprise, Bobby moved into a fighting stance. "Selena, look out!"  
  
She pulled a stake from her bag and braced herself. "I'm on it."  
  
The first vampire growled at her. "We don't need your kind around here." His speech was interrupted when he burst into a ball of dust. Wesley stood at the end of the alley reloading his crossbow.  
  
"You said eleven," he explained.  
  
Selena grinned and turned back to Bobby who, to her surprise, was fighting a second vampire, the third closing in. Selena dispatched that one quickly and tossed the stake to Bobby who dusted the last one.  
  
Wesley stepped up. "Are you okay?"  
  
She nodded. "Bobby?"  
  
He handed her the stake back. "Thanks." He sighed. "Okay, so maybe I have to explain something to you."  
  
*~*~*  
  
"I'm a Noilder demon." Bobby sat on the couch in the Denuo's lobby and took the cup of coffee Wesley offered him. "I didn't want you to be scared away by the fact that I really look like this." He let his image shift into the purple skinned, blacked eyed, horned demon that he really was. "I really like you and…" He shifted back to human form. "I thought this would be easier. Now that I see you're a demon hunter, I guess a second date is no good."  
  
Selena smiled. "I'm not a demon hunter. I'm a vampire with a soul."  
  
Bobby grinned. "Really? Well…" He looked to Wesley. "You?"  
  
"Human." Wesley defiantly wasn't amused with this demon and stood close to Selena to protect her if he needed to. "I haven't heard of a Noilder demon."  
  
"We're rare. Only a dozen left I think. Shape-shifting is our big thing but we also have the whole demon senses going for us." He sipped his coffee. "Mr. Harrington thinks I'm a great employee and mediator but I don't know what he'd think about my demon side."  
  
"So you try to be human," she finished. "I know the feeling." She reached out and took his hand in hers. "Whatever you are, I'd like to call you friend."  
  
*~*~*  
  
The night began to wind down and Wesley retreated to his room to rest, leaving Selena and Bobby alone. She sat next to him and sipped at a mug of coffee.  
  
"I didn't know vampires could drink. I mean, normal stuff," he observed.  
  
"Oh we can. It just does suit our palate as well." She set the cup aside. "I suppose you'll be going home. It's pretty late." She motioned to the clock reading a little before three.  
  
"No one waiting up for me." He placed a hand on her knee. "Besides, you need a goodnight kiss."  
  
Selena didn't know why she felt nervous. She had kissed several people in her life. Why did this make her feel like she had butterflies in her stomach?  
  
She closed her eyes as he kissed her and placed her hands gently on his shoulders. She wondered how old of a demon he was because he kissed like a pro. His arms encircled her and pulled her closer, letting the kiss continue for a little while longer before he pulled back and smiled.   
  
"Good night, Selena." He briefly kissed her one more time before heading out the door for the night.  
  
"I think I like this neighborhood," Selena smiled and shut off the lights. 


	3. Loyalty Vs Duty

Summary: Business at the Denuo begins and brings in a little more than Selena expected.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Selena smiled to the guest and handed them a room key. "Enjoy your stay!" she beamed. This was her fourth guest this week. Bobby had sent over a cook and a maid, courtesy of Harrington Enterprises, to help out and Selena was thankful. She couldn't pull back the drapes during the day without becoming a crispy critter. Melissa handled the guests that came in during the day and Selena took the night shift.   
  
She was surprised that Wesley actually put on a smile and helped with the guests who came in. He told her that as the office manager he had to think of his customers first. His whole demeanor changed when he was dealing with customers. He had cleaned up, shaved and even dawned a suit. When he asked came in with glasses Selena began to see what the others had meant by "the old Wes." He had been a Watcher and being official was part in partial to the gig.   
  
As Melissa waved goodbye for the day, Selena turned to Wesley and folded her arms over her chest. "I think we should talk."   
  
He set aside the papers he was looking over and adjusted his glasses on his nose. "About?"  
  
"You."  
  
"Me?"  
  
"Wesley, you haven't been acting the same lately and I just want to make sure everything is going okay. I worry about you."  
  
He grinned. "You worry about me? Selena, that is…"  
  
"The truth." She let her fingers trail over the phone. "I was thinking about calling Angel and telling him to come get you. I don't think that it's healthy for you to be here."  
  
"I rather think the hotel business has been quite therapeutic for me. Dealing with normal humans who need a place to stay…" His words trailed off as the chime on the door rang and a demon bent down to make it through the door.   
  
It stood about eight feet tall with peach colored skin that hung loose on its boney frame. Its beady red eyes focused on Selena. "Vampire…" it growled as it took steps with its giant hoofed feet.  
  
Her eyes widened. "Me? Uh, nope. Sorry. Wrong hotel."  
  
"I need your help." It stopped at the counter and slapped its webbed claw on the table with a wad of cash. "And I'm willing to pay."  
  
*~*~*  
  
The four guests Selena had vacated the building when they saw the seventeen Nerraw demons pay for their rooms. Wesley and Selena sat with their leader when the others had settled in.   
  
"What exactly do you think that I can help you with?" she asked.  
  
"Tales are that you've fought along side of Angelus and the Slayer to bring down the mighty Beast." He made a gurgling noise in his throat that might have been a growl. "I am Haddock, the leader of my clan. We are being hunted by something we can't describe. We are a peaceful race."  
  
"I've heard of you," Wesley said. "And that's true from what I've read."  
  
"Then you see what I mean. We do not know how to defend ourselves. We are easy prey." Haddock blinked his beady eyes.  
  
"You need someone to protect you." Selena shook her head. "But for how long?"  
  
"Until the thing is stopped. Then we'll leave you be."  
  
Selena looked at Wesley. "You up for this?"  
  
He nodded. "We'll do what we can. Until then, you and your clan should stay here hidden. It would be the safest."  
  
Selena smiled in agreement. "We have food and water and plenty of room."  
  
Wesley cleared his throat. "Selena, Nerraw demons eat cow intestine."  
  
Her smile faltered. "Oh, well then I guess I'm making a trip to the butcher."  
  
"There has been one of us who has seen it and lived," Haddock continued. "My daughter, Kalani, witnessed it feeding on her uncle."  
  
"Can I talk to her?" she asked.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Kalani was the youngest of the group, which meant that instead of being eight feet tall she was only six feet tall. Selena sat across from her, Wesley to the side of the vampire with a notepad. The female Nerraw's had a green tinge to their skin but other than that they had no other distinguishing features from the males. She was timid and shy.   
  
"My father told me that you're the ones who are going to help us. You're going to track down the thing that killed my uncle." Kalani looked down. "I haven't been able to eat very well since I saw…"  
  
"I need you to tell me, in detail, what you saw," Wesley requested.  
  
She nodded. "It had a body like a snake, but with arms. Its face was… so cold… and it spoke in a language I couldn't understand."  
  
"What did it do to your uncle?"  
  
"It didn't just kill him. It skinned him alive and ate his internal organs." Kalani's voice was trembling. "My uncle screamed while it ate him…"  
  
Selena waved her hand. "That's enough. Rest now. I'll make a trip to the butcher's to make sure you have something to eat." She stood. "Rest now."  
  
Once Selena was out in the hall with Wesley, she shuddered. "Why do I get the feeling this isn't just some demon hunting them?"  
  
"Probably because it isn't." Wesley took off his glasses and sighed, heading back to the lobby. "It's an assassin."  
  
Selena followed him. "An assassin? After a group of non-hostile demons? Why?"  
  
Wesley went into his office where he kept books he'd brought with him. "I'm not sure. We have to look at this from every angle."  
  
"How can we be sure it was an assassin? I mean, the manor in which this was done… only a true killer could admire that."  
  
"So you admire it?"  
  
Hurt flashed in her eyes. "It was art to a killer. To anyone with a soul it is simply sick." She took an unneeded breath. "This is someone who wants their pray to fear them as well. Whoever hired them is looking into the fear factor as well."  
  
Wesley held open a book. "I believe this Nitsuj what we're looking for." He pointed to a snake-like creature. "It's part of the Ranshere Clan. They can be bribed with jewels. They'll do anything."  
  
She took the book and skimmed over the text. "They sound as ruthless as Kalani described." Shutting the book, she headed for the phone. "I'll see if Bobby's heard anything on the street about it."  
  
"I haven't seen Bobby around here in a while."  
  
"Since I've been straightening up things here at the hotel, I haven't really been social with him." She picked up the phone and dialed.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Bobby arrived in a suit within thirty minutes. He gave Selena a brief kiss awkward then turned all business. As Wesley described what they were looking for, she watched Bobby's gaze. He never took his eyes off of the ex-Watcher and listened intently. But Selena knew what he was going to say when he was through listening before he said it.   
  
"I haven't heard anything." Bobby leaned back with a sigh. "But I can find out. It probably won't be hard to track down something killing demons."  
  
"It's only killing one kind of demon," Selena pointed out. "It hasn't killed anything else that we know of."  
  
"Maybe nothing else has lived to tell the tale." Bobby picked up his hat and stood. "I'll call you if I hear anything. Let me know if you need any help with anything else."  
  
"Thank you." Selena led him to the door. "Bobby, I don't want you to think that I've been avoiding you, because I haven't. It's just that with the hotel and everything I haven't really…"  
  
He put a finger to her lips. "Hush. I know. It's okay if you don't want to see me."  
  
Her eyes grew wide and she took his hand. "No! I do want to see you! I just need to take care of this first. I have to earn my time. There are people who need my help."  
  
He smiled and nodded. "Then I'll help in any way I can. Because I'm making reservations for dinner in three days."   
  
She giggled like a little girl. "I'm on it."  
  
*~*~*  
  
Bobby found himself once again standing in the darkened office of Mr. Harrington. This was happening a little more often then he liked. "She knows about the assassin. Evidently the Nerraw have sought her out for protection."  
  
The shadowy figure growled low. "Well, this puts a little damper in my plans now doesn't it? And just what do you suppose we do about Miss Selena and the Nerraw?"  
  
"She'll protect the Nerraw to the end."  
  
"Well, I need that land. And I don't want other squatters."  
  
"Maybe they can relocate them?"  
  
"Relocate." Mr. Harrington chuckled. "Why hadn't I thought of that? Oh, wait, it's because they're eight foot demons!" His voice echoed through the office. "Where the hell am I supposed to relocate them?"  
  
Bobby's head snapped up. "Did you say hell? Sir, you're a genius!"  
  
"I don't follow."   
  
"Another dimension."  
  
There was a pause as Mr. Harrington contemplated. "Do it then."  
  
*~*~*  
  
Wesley watched Selena as she read through the book on the assassin. She was deep in thought and he could tell. Sitting there, in her blue jeans and t-shirt, she looked like a young college girl studying for a mid-term. Her dark hair was being held up by a pencil, exposing her neck and facial features clearly. He stepped behind her to read over her shoulder and caught the faint scent of lavender.  
  
"Damn." She slammed the book shut, startling Wesley. "Nothing to help me track this thing." She turned to him, surprised to find him so close. "Have you found something?"  
  
He stepped back. "Er, no. Nothing."  
  
The door to the Denuo chimed as Bobby rushed in. "Selena! I think I found your assassin. But we have to hurry."  
  
She looked to the door. "The sun's coming up."  
  
"It's in the sewers." He tossed his hat on the coat rack. "Mind if I change first? I don't really feel like messing up this suit."  
  
Selena led him back to her own room. "This should do, shouldn't it?"  
  
He looked around. "This is your room."  
  
"Yes." She shifted. "If you'd like we have other rooms."  
  
He yanked off his tie and began unbuttoning his shirt. "This works fine. I was just curious." He winked at her. "Now if you'll excuse me."  
  
"Go ahead." She stood there for a minute before it sunk in. "Oh! Sorry." She hurried back out to the lobby with a huge smile.  
  
"You know, I think I liked Angel's curse a lot better," Wesley snapped. "You don't seem to be suffering at all."  
  
Her smile instantly faded. "I do suffer. But what you have to realize is that a soul isn't all about the suffering. It's also about learning how to live in peace without the need for destruction and chaos and… Oh no…" She looked to the door where Melissa bubbled in.   
  
"Morning!" she chimed. "Well, I have a feeling today is going to be a great day!"  
  
"I need you to leave," Selena said.   
  
Melissa's smile failed and she looked like she might cry. "I'm fired?" she whispered.  
  
Selena's eyes widened. "Huh? No! Oh, I'm sorry. I just meant that today I have some special visitors who aren't going to like anyone but me tending to them."  
  
"Well, I can just look after our other guests."  
  
"There kind of aren't any other guests."  
  
Melissa wrinkled her brow in confusion for a moment before letting out a blood-curdling scream. Her eyes rolled back up into her head and she fainted on the spot. Selena looked behind her to see Kalani standing there rubbing the sleep her beady eyes.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Selena had locked the doors to the Denuo to prevent the cook and maid from coming in on the scene as well. Melissa was lying on the couch, Wesley dabbing a cloth on her head. Selena was pacing while Bobby leaned against the counter, now dawning jeans and a t-shirt as well.   
  
"I had wanted to keep her safe from the demon world. I didn't want her to see anything. Now what am I going to do?" Selena threw her arms up in defeat.  
  
"It was a costume," Bobby calmly offered. "Just tell her it was a costume. You're housing a make-up artist who's working on a monster flick."  
  
Wesley rinsed the cloth and replaced it on her head. "I think she's coming through."  
  
Melissa groaned and blinked her eyes. "Wesley?" She looked up at him in confusion. "What happened?"  
  
Selena stood behind Wesley. "You saw a monster for a new movie. I don't want this to get out but we're hosing some actors here for a movie."  
  
She sat up slowly. "Oh, that makes sense." She chuckled. "I actually thought I saw a monster! How silly!" Bobby coughed to hide a laugh and Melissa looked his way. "Hey! Aren't you the fruit basket guy?"  
  
"Bobby, and yes, I am."  
  
Melissa looked from him to Selena. "Oh, look at the sparks!" She smiled. "You two make such a cute couple!"  
  
Selena helped her up. "Now then, I think you should go home and rest. You'll have a paid leave, I promise. It's just that the… movie cast wants only Wesley and I here."  
  
"Then what about Bobby?"  
  
"He, uh, works for their parent company."   
  
Melissa narrowed her eyes. "Why do I think there's something you're not telling me?"  
  
Selena looked to Wesley with a question in her eyes. But he shook his head so she swallowed back the truth. "Everything's fine, Melissa. I promise."  
  
*~*~*  
  
"You know I heard a rumor about crocodiles down here," Bobby informed Selena as he led the way. "Some big wig with Washington Mutual got a baby one and lost it in these sewers."  
  
"You know, that's funny. I heard something like that back in Paris around the time of Louis the Second." She chuckled. "Didn't figure you for one to believe in urban legends."  
  
"You should know that not everything is what it seems."   
  
"What about you?" Selena stepped up ahead. "Are you what you seem?"  
  
"That depends," he countered. "How do I seem?"  
  
"Like you have something to hide. Maybe your heart. You seem to genuinely care about people and want to make a difference. You're left handed and you have quite an attraction to a certain vampire." She smiled. "That is if I'm not mistaken."  
  
He returned her smile. "I defiantly can't deny the attraction."  
  
"What about everything else?" She stopped. "Are you hiding something?"  
  
"Selena…" His eyes widened. "Look out!" He shoved her to the side as the Nitsuj slithered out from a hatch next to them and knocked him out against a wall.   
  
Selena drew a dagger from her side. "Hey! Why don't you pick on something else with fangs?" She let her vampire face slip into place as she snarled at the beast. It hissed, its reptilian eyes blinking at her. Selena's eyes widened as she watched the giant claws grow from its fingers. "Hey now! No fair! I only have one dagger!" She twirled and kicked at its head, knocking it off guard for a moment before it slashed out its tail and wrapped around her legs. Falling on her back, she held fast to the dagger and brought it down with all her might, lodging it in the Nitsuj's flesh. It reared back with a cry and turned to run but Selena was faster, retrieving her knife and jumping on the back of it, holding on like a rodeo rider. "Yee-haw!" she cried as she brought the dagger over her head. She didn't even flinch at the sickening crunch it made as it pierced the skull of the slithering thing, killing it.  
  
Selena shed her demonic appearance and stared at the body of the Nitsuj. It twitched once but it was unquestionably dead. She dropped the blood covered dagger in her hands and turned to Bobby. "Oh no." She dropped to her knees and put a hand to the side of his face. "Bobby?"  
  
He groaned and held a hand to his head. "Did someone catch the name of that train?"  
  
She smiled. "Come on. Let's get you cleaned up."  
  
*~*~*  
  
Showered and changed, Bobby and Selena sat with Wesley and Haddock in the lobby. The demon was shaking Selena's hand. "I knew you could do it."  
  
She smiled. "I just hope that you and your clan can be at ease now."  
  
Bobby shook his head. "I don't think so."  
  
Wesley looked at him sharply. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Just because the Nitsuj was killed doesn't mean that the person who hired it isn't going to hire something else. But I have an idea."  
  
Haddock nodded. "Anything."  
  
"Another dimension."  
  
Wesley shook his head. "It's risky."  
  
"So is staying here. I have access to dimensional books that could help. We can find something that suit the Nerraw to a tee." Bobby stood and grabbed his suit jacket. "I can bring them if you want."  
  
Selena looked to Haddock. "It's up to you. But it might be a good idea."  
  
The demon nodded. "I think you're right." He looked to Bobby. "Thank you."  
  
*~*~*  
  
Bobby was back within an hour. He had a stack of books in his arms and set them on the counter. Haddock, Wesley, Selena and Bobby conducted the research. It was obvious that Wesley and Selena were both tired. Wesley hadn't slept since the Nerraw arrived and no one knew when Selena slept.  
  
Bobby pulled her aside and into her back office. "Selena, your color is bad. Have you fed recently?" He brushed a hand by her cheek.  
  
But she turned away. "I, uh, I might have let it slip my mind." She shook her head. "Finding a place for Haddock's clan is more important right now."  
  
He ran his fingers through her hair. "You need to drink. If you waste away weak then you can't help. You fought an assassin. You need to replenish your strength." His eyes were soft. "Please? For me?"  
  
"I don't have any blood here and it's daylight still."  
  
"What about Wesley? Could you feed a little off of him?"  
  
"No."  
  
"What about demon blood?"  
  
"No. Maybe pig or cow but not demon."  
  
"Selena, I won't have you wasting away like this." He kissed her. "I'll bring you some pig blood. It'll help."  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Until then, I want you to rest. Sleep."  
  
"But the books and…"  
  
Bobby lifted her into his arms and carried her back to her room, laying her on the bed. "Rest. I'll be back in twenty minutes." He caressed her face as she closed her eyes. Her skin was so soft and she looked like a sleeping beauty. He shook his head and headed out the door. "Bobby," he said to himself. "You can't care about her."  
  
*~*~*  
  
Selena opened her eyes when she smelled the warm blood in front of her. Bobby was sitting on the bed, holding a mug to her lips. "Drink."  
  
She obediently parted her lips and let it run down her throat. She could feel the energy returning to her limbs and realized she had gone three days without feeding. She finished half the mug before she found words. "Thank you." She held the mug in her hands and looked down. "Wesley was wrong."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"I do suffer. I torment myself to the point where I won't eat." She set the mug aside. "Every time I feed, I remember those I've killed. But then it wasn't the hunt. It was the kill. I took pleasure in what I did."   
  
He took her hand and linked their fingers. "That's not you now though."  
  
"No. Now I'm the pain itself." She leaned forward and rested her head on his shoulder. "Wesley loved a woman and I killed her because of a bad judgment." She sniffled and Bobby could smell the salt of the tears she was shedding. "That's why he hates me so much. And he deserves to."  
  
Bobby held her close and rubbed her back. "And you deserve to be forgiven." He tilted her chin up and kissed her tears. "We all deserve to be forgiven."  
  
*~*~*  
  
At dusk, the entire Nerraw clan gathered in the lobby of the Denuo as Wesley and Bobby spread the herbs and sacred sand. Selena stood in front of Kalani and smiled. "Your uncle has been avenged. You'll never have to see a Nitsuj again."  
  
"Thank you. I don't think you understand how much this really means."  
  
"I do. It means freedom to live in peace."  
  
"Selena? We're ready," Wesley informed her.  
  
*~*~*  
  
"They're in the Engival dimension. They should pose no threat." Bobby set a report on Mr. Harrington's desk. "Selena and Wesley still don't know who hired the assassin but with the Nerraw away, I don't think that we'll have much of a problem."  
  
"That pleases me. Now we can move on with the construction."  
  
"Of course, I'll let the workers know to begin right away." He gave a bow and turned to head out.  
  
"Bobby?"  
  
He stopped and turned. "Yes, sir?"  
  
"You feel compassion for this vampire?"  
  
"She's my assignment, sir."  
  
"You didn't answer my question. Are you… falling in love?" The question had mocking laughter behind it.  
  
"It's not that easy to fall in love."  
  
"Isn't it? Just remember, Bobby. Remember whom you work for. Remember where your loyalties lie."  
  
"They lay within me, sir. I know what I'm doing."  
  
"Be sure that you do, Bobby. Do you think Selena would be able to protect you if you betrayed me?"  
  
"I have no intension of betraying you, sir." He bowed again and left.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Selena woke and grabbed for a dagger, ready to kill her intruder until she saw who it was. "Bobby? Is everything okay?"   
  
He sat next to her and wrapped her arms around him. "Just let me hold you for a while."  
  
She sat her dagger aside. "What happened?" She hugged him back, running her fingers through his hair.   
  
"Nothing. It's just that after what happened with the Nerraw… When you told me about what happened with Wesley… I just wanted to stay with you. If I'm out of line, let me know. But can I stay here tonight? With you?"  
  
She nodded. "Of course."  
  
He stayed in his clothes, only removing his shoes and held her until they fell asleep. 


	4. Decieving Revolations

Summary: A spell to uncover secrets unleashes something else as well.  
  
*~*~*  
  
After staying the night with Selena in his arms, Bobby didn't come back to the Denuo. Melissa and Wesley could both see that something was troubling the vampire more than usual. Wesley noted she was starting to imitate Angel.   
  
He found her five days from that night in the small sitting area of the hotel alone in the dark, reading silently. Sitting across from her he removed his glasses. "What's wrong?"   
  
She didn't even glance up. "Like you care?"   
  
"Is it something Bobby did? I noticed he left here one morning from your room."   
  
"Don't worry about it. I'm suffering so be happy." She shut the book and set it aside.   
  
He cleared his throat. "I've been thinking and… I don't hate you."   
  
She scoffed. "Thanks, I think."   
  
"I've had time to think about things and the way that you handled the Nerraw led me to believe that you do care and that you wouldn't do what you did to Fred unless you thought she was a danger."   
  
She nodded. "I thought she was."   
  
"Then… to error is human, to forgive divine." He stood and closed his eyes. "I forgive you, Selena."   
  
She looked up at him in disbelief. "You forgive me?" She forced a smile. "Thank you. You know that doesn't mean either of us will forget her." She sighed. "Bobby told me that we all deserve forgiveness."   
  
Wesley sat across from her again. "What happened?"   
  
"That's just it. I don't know. He didn't say anything before he left and he hasn't called."   
  
"Did you and he…" Wesley trailed off.   
  
"Have sex? No. He just held me. He had something on his mind. I mean he really looked troubled. But he just wanted to hold me, not talk. Then in the morning he left."   
  
"Have you tried calling him?"   
  
"I don't think I have the right. We've only been on one date and only killed one demon together, most of that he was knocked out for so I don't think it counts." She stood and paced. "I think he's hiding something but he won't tell me anything."   
  
"He has that right."   
  
"No he doesn't! It makes me worry and I don't like it! What could he possibly have to worry about me finding out? I'm a vampire! And I already know he's a demon. That doesn't bother me. He should know that I care."   
  
"Well it's not as if you can just do a spell to make him say what's on his mind." Wesley stopped and looked to Selena. "Don't even think about it."   
  
Her eyes were wide. "Wesley, that's brilliant!"   
  
"Selena, you can't meddle in things like that. It's dangerous." He crossed his arms. "And I forbid it."   
  
She did a double take. "You forbid it? Is that like a double-dare?"   
  
"I mean it. Spells like that often have consequences you couldn't imagine. A slayer under my watch had the ability to read minds at one time and it almost drove her insane."   
  
"But since it was temporary so it didn't." Selena seemed to ponder this. "If I could read his thoughts for a short time I could find out what's wrong. Then he wouldn't speak out where other people could hear!" She beamed to Wesley. "Thank you!"   
  
"Selena, I…" He reached out to her but she was already out the door. "Oh bugger."   
  
*~*~*   
  
Melissa finished watering the plants and set aside the pitcher with a sigh. Business had been slow since the movie crew left. It gave her some time to explore the rest of the Denuo. It had its normality such as the lobby, the kitchen, a dining hall and restrooms. Then there were Selena and Wesley's offices and the guests' rooms. But since she moved in all that equipment, Selena said the wine cellar was off limits.   
  
If Selena had been more cautious of her employees, she would have dug a little deeper into Melissa's record. For only being seventeen, Melissa Diane Greenwald had been arrested four times for robbery and twice for breaking and entering. A simple lock to a wine cellar was a cakewalk.   
  
At the click of a lock, Melissa smiled. "Open says me." She stepped slowly down, quiet as a mouse. The cellar had been transformed into some sort of training room. She had expected something like this. But the items on the walls seemed like medieval devices that were no longer used. Carefully, she lifted a long slender sword from the wall and admired the blade. It was smooth, cool and sleek. She closed her eyes and held it with one hand, letting the sword lead her movements. She twirled and moved in a graceful yet lethal dance. Melissa had never handled a sword before but it came as second nature to her. In her eyes, a thousand images danced on her lids.   
  
She didn't even notice Wesley at the top of the stairs. "What are you doing?"   
  
Melissa gasped and dropped the sword, slicing her arm in the process. She cried out and held her hand over the wound that was happily gushing blood.   
  
"Melissa!" Wesley was at her side in no time, removing his tie and using it to tie off the wound. "Come. We have to bandage this immediately."   
  
"Please," she begged. "Don't tell Selena. I won't do it again." The pain wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. Then again, the sharp blade made a clean cut.   
  
Wesley steered her to the kitchen and pulled out the first aid kit. "Those swords are not toys, Melissa." Slowly, he removed the tie and began to tend her wound. "What were you doing down there?"   
  
"I just wanted to see what was down there." She hissed in the pain as he applied anti-septic. "I'm sorry."   
  
He sighed. "It's alright. I won't tell Selena. We'll just have to clean up any blood down there and put the sword back before she wakes up." He fastened the bandage to her arm and smiled to her. "You're lucky it's not a deep cut."   
  
"I'm lucky you were there." She smiled back to him. "Thank you." She batted her long lashes up at him. "Maybe I could make it up to you, say, over dinner?"   
  
He did a double take. "Pardon?"   
  
She leaned on the kitchen counter and smiled to him. "I thought maybe you and I could go out to dinner. Just the two of us. What do you say?"   
  
He swallowed. "Uh, sure?" For some reason he thought of Cordelia when he had first met her back in Sunnydale.   
  
*~*~*   
  
Selena tapped her fingers on the phone and sighed for the third time. "Jesus, just call him!" she urged herself. As she pressed the numbers on the phone, her hand felt heavy. Maybe it was because she knew she was going to trick him.   
  
"This is Bobby." His voice brought a smile to her face.   
  
"Hi, it's me." Her voice was quiet as a mouse.   
  
"Selena! Is everything okay? Are you in trouble?"   
  
"No. It's just that you haven't called since that morning and…"   
  
"I'm sorry. I just got freaked out about something at work and I didn't want to bother you with it."   
  
"So you're not mad at me?"   
  
"God, no! And I never meant to make you think that." She heard hushed voices in the background. "What if I come over? I can be there in twenty minutes."   
  
"Sounds good. I'll be in my room. Melissa has the drapes open during the day and I don't feel like getting a tan."   
  
*~*~*   
  
"Et en tara pox, pox o mini buss boney volun tatis." Selena spread out sand around the room as she chanted. The dark purple candles gave off a warm glow around her mingling with the smoke of the incense to give the room a surreal feel. "With this sand my border make, through the border, all lies shall shake." She jumped slightly as she heard the front door to the Denuo shut. She stepped out into the hallway and smiled as Bobby approached. "Hi," she smiled as she hugged him.   
  
He hugged her back then looked to her room. "Candles and incense? Are you doing a spell?" His look was as questioning as his tone.   
  
She plastered on a smile. "I'm not a witch." She stepped into her room and felt a wave move over her. "I'm a terrifying vampire."   
  
Bobby stayed outside the room. "What?"   
  
"I am what people have nightmares about. I killed indiscriminately. And I enjoyed it."   
  
"Are you feeling okay?"   
  
"No, I'm not. I'm feeling hurt. I'm feeling that you don't really care about me or that you're just using me. I feel like you're hiding something from me."   
  
He scoffed. "You did a truth spell, didn't you?"   
  
She wanted to lie but she was standing in the boundary. "Yes."   
  
He crossed his arms. "So then tell me, what do you think of me?"   
  
"I think I care a great deal about you. When I don't know where you are it hurts. I never know when you'll be coming back but I know that I want you to." She stepped out of the room. "Bobby…"   
  
"Get back in there." It was definitely not a request.   
  
She swallowed and stepped back in. "Bobby, I didn't want you to find out."   
  
"Obviously. What do you think I'm hiding from you?"   
  
"I don't know. There could be any number of things and this spell was supposed to get you to speak the truth to me."   
  
"Why didn't you just ask me?"   
  
She paused. Her voice shrank. "I didn't think about it."   
  
He grinned. "Great. At least it's an honest answer." He shoved his hands in his pockets. "Selena, you can ask me anything. Really. Without a truth spell." He stood right on the border. "Come closer." As she stepped forward he pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips to hers.   
  
A flash of bright light filled the Denuo, knocking out everyone inside.   
  
*~*~*   
  
Melissa awoke in Wesley's arms on the kitchen floor. She knew that her head was attached because of the simple fact it hurt. She sat up slowly, trying to avoid the spinning before her eyes. She felt Wesley's hand steady her back. "I think I'm going to be okay," she assured him.   
  
"You look like you should see a doctor." He brushed some hair from her face. "You could have a concussion."   
  
"So could you." She looked out to the kitchen window. "It's nighttime?"   
  
He helped her up. "What happened?"   
  
"I'm not sure." She jumped as she heard a loud growl shake the walls. "What was that?"   
  
*~*~*   
  
Selena eyes opened and focused on the red sand that she had poured. Only now the color of the sand was black, and she was hearing a growl shake the walls. "Bobby," she whispered, shaking him gently. "Bobby, get up."   
  
He groaned and sat up. "That was some kiss."   
  
"The sand is black. I think I might have messed up the spell." She stood and helped him up. The room looked the same but all the candles had burned down and the incense was ash. Time had passed. She could smell the night, sweet to her senses.   
  
Bobby picked up his phone that had fallen out and flipped it open. "No signal. But this is Seattle. I always get a signal here."   
  
"The spell could have knocked out the waves for the phone." She picked up the phone beside her bed. "This is out too." Her eyes narrowed in thought. "Wait a minute…" She looked at Bobby. "I'm really thirteen years old." She smiled. "Well, the spell must have broken. That's why the surge."   
  
Bobby smile began to fade. "I don't like you using spells like that." He sat on her bed. "Things could have gotten out of hand."   
  
"I know." She looked at her feet. At least her toes looked good.   
  
"And that hurt."   
  
Her head snapped up. "What?"   
  
"That you feel you have to use magic to talk to me. That hurt." He looked at his hands. "There are some things that I'm not going to tell you. But that's my choice. When I feel I can trust you enough, then I'll tell you."   
  
Selena's retort was halted by a growl that shook the walls. "Oh, that's not good."   
  
*~*~*   
  
Bobby and Selena raced down the stairs and met Wesley and Melissa in the lobby everyone asked everyone else how they were doing, dispensing of the pleasantries quickly. Selena conveyed a look to Wesley to get Melissa out.   
  
"Eh, Melissa?" Wesley began. "Why don't I take you home? It's late to be catching a bus now."   
  
"Okay." Melissa hugged herself, shaking slightly.   
  
"What happened to your arm?" Selena asked, motioning to the bandage that was beginning to soak through.   
  
Melissa's eyes shot to Wesley in what Selena knew was a silent plea. "I cut myself moving some stuff when I was cleaning."   
  
"Liar." It was a low voice that spoke. And it came from the walls.   
  
Melissa swallowed. "What was that?"   
  
Bobby shuddered visibly. "We need to get out of here. Now." But as he got to the door, he stopped. "It's sealed."   
  
"What?" Selena joined him and looked at the doors that seemed to be welded. "Shit."   
  
"Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on?" Melissa cried. "Why can't we leave?"   
  
Wesley put his hands on her shoulders. "Melissa, please calm down."   
  
"I will not calm down!" she screamed, ripping away from him. "Now who are you people? You have weapons and creepy guests and walls that talk and all I know is that I don't know what the hell is going on and I'm scared!" Tears were brimming in her eyes.   
  
Selena approached her slowly. "Melissa, I am so sorry. I meant to keep you out of all this. You deserve to be normal. I shouldn't have hired you."   
  
"This isn't sounding very good." Melissa sat down.   
  
Selena sat beside her. "I guess you might have figured out I'm not normal." When Melissa nodded, she continued. "There are things in this world that only a few of us know of. One of which is vampires."   
  
"Vampires?"   
  
"Like me." To finish the statement, she let her demonic face show.   
  
Melissa didn't move. Her eyes narrowed as she searched the ridged brown and yellow demon gaze. Her frail hand raised and came to touch a fang. "Why do I know this?" She shot her glance to Wesley. "Are you a vampire, too?"   
  
He shook his head. "I'm a demon hunter."   
  
"And Bobby?"   
  
Selena nodded and Bobby let his human form slip. Once again, Melissa didn't scream and run. She stared in awe. "This is a dream, isn't it? I'm going to wake up. Just like I always do."   
  
Wesley stepped forward. "You've seen this before?"   
  
"Not exactly like him." She pointed to Bobby. "But like her." She pointed to Selena. "I just thought that it was nightmares from movies or something."   
  
Bobby looked again at the door. "Hate to break this up, but we have a larger problem on our hands."   
  
"Yes," Wesley agreed. "The fact that the walls are talking and the entrance is sealed poses a bit of problem. We need to find out the trigger."   
  
Bobby rolled his eyes. "Selena did a truth spell. I think it backfired and released something into the hotel. And obviously it doesn't like lies."   
  
She wasn't sure what prompted her to do it. The words just seemed to flow. "Wesley, do you really forgive me for what happened with Fred?"   
  
She saw Wesley's eye twitch. "I told you already that I do."   
  
"Liar." The walls rumbled.   
  
Three sets of eyes rested on Wesley. He glared at the vampire and stormed off toward the wine cellar, slamming the door.   
  
"I think that was a lie," Melissa noted.   
  
*~*~*   
  
Wesley punched furiously at the bag hung from the ceiling and began breathing heavily through his nose. Selena had carelessly used a spell and now was using the twisted results against him. Wesley picked up the sword he had seen Melissa using and headed back up the stairs.   
  
*~*~*   
  
Selena set the book for the spell out in front of Bobby and Melissa. "This book was a gift from a Hindu princess for helping her find a husband." She shrugged. "I didn't think it would do any harm."   
  
Bobby thumbed through the pages. "The spell you preformed invoked the spirit of the Elim Nati, a demon that… ew." He scrunched his nose.   
  
"What?" Melissa asked eagerly.   
  
"Disembowels liars." He shuddered. "Well now, that's encouraging."   
  
"We need to find a way to put back whatever it is I unleashed." Selena snatched the book and began to flip through the musty pages. "We're sealed in here. Why?"   
  
"You asked for a border in the spell."   
  
"I thought I just made a boundary in my room."   
  
Wesley spoke up as he approached, holding a sword. "All the walls in the hotel are connected. The boundary is now all the walls of the hotel."   
  
Selena glanced at the blade. "There's blood. Did you cut yourself?" She went to touch his arm but he brought the blade to her throat.   
  
"It's not my blood." His statement was cold as ice.   
  
"It's mine," Melissa admitted.   
  
Selena took a step back from the cool metal at her neck. "The cut on your arm. You were handling my sword." She glared. "You went in the cellar."   
  
Melissa swallowed. "You were hiding something."   
  
Bobby stood. "I think it's pretty clear we're all hiding something here." He motioned. "Let's just reverse the spell and get this over with."   
  
"Will it really be over?" Wesley asked. "The lies are still here. The pain is still here."   
  
"It's a part of life," Bobby said. "We deal with it every day. No one is ever completely honest and no one ever knows all of the truth." He turned from everyone. "Even love can't break that vicious cycle."   
  
Selena swallowed. "Love?"   
  
"Let's just do this."   
  
She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Bobby, are you falling in love with me?"   
  
He whipped to her, his eyes flashing their demonic yellow. "How dare you? You know that this demon will call me on any lie and so you take advantage of that?"   
  
She took a step back. "Bobby, I…"   
  
"There's a counter spell," Wesley interrupted. "It's fairly simple."   
  
"Do it," Bobby commanded, not looking at Selena.   
  
*~*~*   
  
Even though the doors were unsealed, the spell broken, they sat in the lobby, Bobby pacing. "So it's done." He stopped. "Selena, I want to talk to you."   
  
She stood and timidly made her way into her office, not really knowing how to feel. "Bobby, I'm so sorry."   
  
He held up his hand. "Stop right there. I don't need your apologies."   
  
She paused, a bit shocked. "You don't?"   
  
"No. I want your trust." He took her hand and examined her palm. "I care about you, Selena. But I need to be able to trust you as well."   
  
"Bobby, I didn't think about what I was doing. I just knew that something was bothering you when you came and held me that night. Then you don't come back? I felt betrayed." She swallowed. "I missed you and I wanted to help."   
  
Bobby softened. "Selena…" He pulled her to him and pressed his lips to hers. "I'm sorry, too." He kissed her again. "How about we try starting this from scratch? Sound good?"   
  
She nodded. "From scratch."   
  
*~*~*   
  
Wesley changed the bandage on Melissa's arm and sighed. "It would be understandable if you decided not to work here anymore."   
  
She helped him put away the first aid supplies. "Actually, I think I should stay. I mean, it totally didn't bug me when I saw Selena with the fang thing and Bobby's Barney skin didn't even bug me."   
  
"Barney?"   
  
"The evil dinosaur." She shrugged. "I have a pretty open mind. And besides, you'll have to show me how to handle the sword a little better."   
  
"Melissa, those aren't toys."   
  
"I know. But I also know that I was extremely comfortable with it until someone scared the pee out of me." She smiled to him. "So, either I'm going to break into the wine cellar and practice myself or I can have someone a little more experienced help me."   
  
He shook his head. "I'm not kidding. That little scratch you got is just a sample."   
  
Her face sobered. "Wesley, something about handling those swords was familiar. And I need to know why none of this shocks me. Now either you help or get out of my way."   
  
He had to grin at her boldness. "How about twice a week?"   
  
"How about Monday, Wednesday, and Friday?"   
  
"Deal."   
  
*~*~*   
  
Selena swept up the last of the charred sand from her room and put the candles away. Everything was back to normal. The problem was, she didn't really know what normal was. Wesley still hated her, Bobby still didn't really tell her what was wrong and Melissa had criminal tendencies. Yeah, normal was an odd term.   
  
"Selena?" Melissa's timid voice interrupted her thoughts. "Can I talk to you?"   
  
She sat on her bed. "Of course."   
  
The blonde stood in the doorway. "I wanted to explain about the sword. I mean, I know I'm not supposed to go down there and stuff but I knew that you had moved a whole bunch of equipment and I really…"   
  
She held up her hand. "It's okay. This time. Wesley told me that he would be training you. I'm fine with this. But you are not to be in the cellar without either Wesley or myself. Is that understood?"   
  
She nodded. "Thank you, Selena."   
  
*~*~*   
  
Mr. Harrington let out a puff of smoke. Bobby wasn't sure if it was from a cigar or Mr. Harrington himself. "So the vampire has access to spells and now their front desk clerk knows that you're a demon? I know I told you to get involved, but really."   
  
"There's more. The girl's blood smelled familiar. I think she's mystical. I mean, she has power. She also didn't flinch when she saw Selena or my demonic faces."   
  
"That will have to wait. I need you down at the site. Construction is almost complete." The chair squeaked. "It's almost time, Bobby my boy. And don't think my friends won't be rewarded." His voice dropped. "And my enemies will tremble…" 


End file.
